Do you have a movie-going ritual? I do. When I go to the movies, I always get a soda, popcorn and a hot dog. It doesn't matter what else I've already eaten that day or will later, I get those three things every time. Candy's optional for me, but those three items are not.

Movies for two usually costs me around $50 so when I go, I'm going to see a specific movie. When I lived in Arizona, my friend Bryan and I used to go to the movies and lunch most Mondays because any showing before 1 p.m. was $5. We'd go see anything - whether we thought it would be good or not because ... who cares about $5, right?

I'll tell you who cares about $5. People who've been laid off from jobs and have mortgages, private school and all those other living expenses to pay day in and day out. Homeless people care about $5. Single moms care about $5. I've been in all three of those categories, so please take this message to heart.

First, as a business woman, I don't really fuss over what companies charge for their products and services because I realize they've broken the financials down to value per minute (services) and per item. Overhead has to be paid for the business to exist and it has to be profitable to continue. I get that.

That's a benefit of access to multiple companies that offer similar products and services. Everyone can't afford my services, and that's ok. I service a higher-income bracket. But, my client base allows me to have fewer clients and be able to do a lot of pro bono work. The services I provide free of charge are important to me because I've been laid off, homeless and a single mom and have needed the expertise of a professional but couldn't afford it.

I went to the movies last Wednesday, and when I paid I was kinda grumbling about paying $6 for popcorn, $4 for a hot dog and $5 for a soda. The grumbling stopped when I considered the alternative - sitting through a movie without the items I've conditioned myself to consume. I'm not willing to do that.

Let's look at a couple of the many lessons I see here:

When I want something, I do what I need to do and pay what I need to pay to get it. I'd say this is true about most people - I'm talking 97%. I'm reminded of an article I read last year about this time regarding Verizon Wireless eliminating free phone upgrades for 2-year contract renewals. The logic posed was because people don't want to be without their phones, they'll pay full price ($600 and up) for new ones. I'm a witness that this is true. I paid $649 plus tax and fees to upgrade last summer.

Budgets are created based on priorities. I (we, everyone) make sure I have enough income for the expenses that are important to me. When I want something that I don't have the money for right then and there, I write it on a list, put a plan in place and make it happen. Just last night I crossed off as received the first of four $100 items I have on a list of owning eventually. These aren't things with deadlines, but they're things I want and am not willing to live without. They're a priority for me.

This is a side note: I worked my way out of homelessness with penny (and up to $5) investments so don't despise the day of small things. If you're broke, it's not wise to spend $25 (or even $6) at the movies. That $25 can be turned into a couple 100 for you, if you invest properly. Again I'm a witness of this.

I'm going to continue spending $25 and up to go the movies, I'm sure, but what I want you think about is this: If you're in need of a professional mentor's expertise, but think you can't afford it, you're wrong. If you want something, you'll do what you need to do and pay what you need to pay to get it.

What do you want?Do you want to break through and overcome blocks to success? Do you want to work from home so you can home school? Do you want to improve your communication skills and negotiate a raise, benefits or a promotion? I can help. Contact me today.

Focusing on today is important. It keeps us from being overwhelmed, helps us to live in the present and allows us to win.

Think of all the hours we've spent (or for some, spend) contemplating things that are happening days, weeks or months from now. Or the conversations we've had when we've pretended to listen but were really previewing future events.

I've committed to stop doing such. And I admit that's a challenge for me because my brain moves quickly and I'm always planning ahead. Take this very post, for example. I'm writing it well in advance during an hour of my day that's scheduled for rest. There's nothing wrong with planning, everyone should plan parts of life. But you can't and shouldn't plan everything, and note to self: when you've planned to rest, rest. Your mind and body will thank you for it.

Let's take a closer look at the above reasons to focus on today:

Our brains are powerful and amazing, but they function at a much higher level of efficiency when we're all in for any given moment. Being totally focused on the task, person or recreation at hand means there's less of a tendency to be overwhelmed because we have every sense and mental resource available to process the situation appropriately.

Living in the present is a sure-fire stress buster. Get ready for a cliche ... the past is gone and every future moment has yet to materialize. All we really have is right now to enjoy. Take a deep breath, exhale and decide to be fully present in every minute available for participation. Being fully present (attentive) does wonders for personal and business relationships so it's worth the effort to practice and master this skill.

Winning is the natural result of implementing reasons 1 and 2. Focusing to allow your brain and emotions to perform with excellence and being fully attentive to the people with you or assignments you're working on are processes that foster success.

Simple but not easy - like most things that create champions. Just keep at it. That's my plan. I'm going to practice 1 and 2 in an area at a time and let the wins stack up. Every biography of an extraordinary individual has a line that tells us they repeated a process too many times to count, and then it eventually paid off. The same can happen for you if you want it to be so.